The increase in tuition fees at state universities in
Indonesia has caught the public's attention and become a hot topic of
discussion across various circles. This move has garnered much criticism for
being perceived as unreasonable and financially burdensome for new prospective
students. The increase has sparked protests and questions from many parties,
including students, parents, academics, and education observers. They argue
that the decision not only hinders access to education for low-income communities
but also has the potential to widen social inequality in Indonesia. This
concern reflects a broader worry about the future of higher education in the
country.
Following the issuance of Ministerial Regulation No. 2 of
2024 concerning the Standards for Higher Education Operational Costs, state
universities have collectively raised tuition fees, including the UKT (Single
Tuition Fee) and IPI (Institutional Fees). Most of the universities that have
raised fees are PTN-BH (State Universities with Legal Entity Status), as these
institutions have their own legal autonomy and the authority to manage their
finances independently. Due to the high operational costs and insufficient
funds to cover these expenses, exacerbated by reduced government subsidies,
PTN-BH institutions have had to seek additional funds to make up for the
shortfall, the quickest solution being to increase tuition fees for new
students. This situation greatly disadvantages students and transforms the
image of universities from places of learning to business enterprises.
As news of state universities raising tuition fees spread,
it began to reach the ears of students, who were outraged by the unreasonable
increases that did not correspond to the quality of campus facilities.
Consequently, students from various state universities across Indonesia began
staging demonstrations to reject the decisions made by their respective campus
administrations. Although these protests were initially seen as unlikely to
reverse the decisions already approved by university administrations and the
Ministry of Education, the growing movement began to draw attention from
various parties concerned with the rising costs of higher education.
In the midst of the heated debate, a Ministry of Education
official made a controversial statement, declaring that "higher education
is a tertiary need." This sparked widespread anger, as the statement was
seen as contradicting the mandate of the 1945 Constitution, which aims to
"educate the nation's life" and guarantees the right of citizens to
education. The government is supposed to be responsible for ensuring this
right, from primary to higher education.
The issue reached its peak when the current Minister of Education, Nadiem Makarim, was summoned by Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) to provide clarification on the tuition fee increase. The legislators wanted to know whether the increase was approved with the Ministry of Education's knowledge and the rationale behind the decision. They urged that the increase be temporarily suspended or canceled. Eventually, the Minister of Education was called to the State Palace by the President. After discussions with the President, the Ministry of Education decided to cancel the tuition fee increase, and state universities began to follow the minister's decision, reversing the fee hikes.
The increase in tuition fees seemed to disregard various
other aspects, such as students' economic capabilities and the return on
investment that students receive from their high tuition payments. The campuses
appeared to be exploiting students with high fees that might not correspond to
the benefits they receive. This situation risks bringing the country back to a
time when higher education was only accessible to the nobility and wealthy
merchants, leaving the general populace uneducated and without opportunities if
the 1945 Constitution's mandate is not upheld. Currently, the government only
mandates and guarantees education up to the secondary level. While public
primary and secondary education is now accessible to all social groups without
tuition fees, many public schools still charge parents under the guise of
donations. Reflecting on primary to secondary education, achieving universally
accessible higher education seems challenging due to the enormous operational
costs of universities and the state budget's inability to cover these expenses.
Nevertheless, the government has made efforts to provide access to higher
education for economically disadvantaged citizens through programs like KIP-K
(Indonesia Smart Card for College) and other scholarships.
In conclusion, the tuition fee increase that faced
widespread opposition was ultimately canceled. This serves as a reminder for
the government to uphold the 1945 Constitution's mandate to ensure its
citizens' right to education in the future.
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